Household appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance ( 1 ) comprising a control unit ( 4 ) that maintains to execute the selected program as much as possible within the discounted rate interval when the user enters the end time (t f ) for the selected program, by evaluating the clock ( 2 ) data and the momentary energy tariff signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) within the time passing until the end time (t f ) and guarantees completion of the program to be executed before the selected end time (t f ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A household appliance ( 1 ) that comprises a clock ( 2 ) for measuring time, a sensing means ( 3 ) that detects a discounted rate energy signal coming from an energy network momentarily when connected to the energy network which energy network delivers the discount rate energy wherein the energy tariff changes dynamically, a control unit ( 4 ) that evaluates the clock ( 2 ) and the signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) and a panel ( 5 ) which enables the user to select programs and wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that maintains to execute the program as much as possible in the time interval when the discounted rate is applied when the user enters the desired end time (t f ) for the program to be executed, by evaluating together the clock ( 2 ) data and the momentary energy tariff signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) within the time passing until the end time (t f ) and guarantees completion of the program to be executed before the selected end time (t f ). 
     
     
       2. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 1 , wherein the clock ( 2 ) is real time clock. 
     
     
       3. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 1  or  2 , characterized by the control unit ( 4 ) that during the execution of a program, runs the program as long as the discounted rate energy signal is received from the sensing means ( 3 ), stops the running program when the detected signal changes to the expensive rate energy signal, waits for the discounted rate energy signal from the sensing means ( 3 ) in order to continue the program and runs the executed program intermittently such that it is completed before the desired end time (t f ). 
     
     
       4. A household appliance ( 1 ) comprising a clock ( 2 ) for measuring time, a sensing means ( 3 ) that detects a discounted rate energy signal coming from an energy network when connected to the energy network wherein an energy tariff changes dynamically, a control unit ( 4 ) that evaluates the clock ( 2 ) and the signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) and a panel ( 5 ) which enables the user to select programs and wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that maintains to execute the program as much as possible in the time interval when the discounted rate is applied when the user enters the desired end time (t f ) for the program to be executed, by evaluating together the clock ( 2 ) data and the momentary energy tariff signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) within the time passing until the end time (t f ) and guarantees completion of the program to be executed before the selected end time (t f ) and wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that, during the execution of a program comprising more than one step, runs the program as long as the discounted rate energy signal is received from the sensing means ( 3 ), completes the running program step without interrupting when the detected signal changes and the expensive rate energy signal is detected, does not start the next step, waits for the discounted rate energy signal to be received from the sensing means ( 3 ) again in order to continue with the next program step and runs the executed program intermittently such that it is completed before the desired end time (t f ). 
     
     
       5. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 4 , wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that comprises a memory ( 6 ) wherein the discounted rate energy signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) is recorded and determines at which hours of the day the cheap energy tariff is applied generally by evaluating the discounted rate energy signal momentarily detected from the energy network stored in the memory ( 6 ) and the data received from the clock ( 2 ). 
     
     
       6. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 4 , wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that determines at which time intervals of the day the discounted rate energy is delivered by the network by evaluating the discounted rate energy signal detected by the sensing means ( 3 ) from the network and stored in a memory ( 6 ) together with the data received from the clock ( 2 ) and after the user enters the program end time (t f ), if there is not a time interval wherein discounted rate energy tariff is applied in the total time (t t ) passing until the end time (t f ), informs the user and suggests a new end time (t f ) to the user that remains within a time interval of discounted rate energy tariff application. 
     
     
       7. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 4 , wherein the clock ( 2 ) is real time clock. 
     
     
       8. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 7 , wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that during the execution of a program, runs the program as long as the discounted rate energy signal is received from the sensing means ( 3 ), stops the running program when the detected signal changes to the expensive rate energy signal, waits for the discounted rate energy signal from the sensing means ( 3 ) in order to continue the program and runs the executed program intermittently such that it is completed before the desired end time (t f ). 
     
     
       9. The household appliance ( 1 ) as  claim 7 , wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that comprises a memory ( 6 ) wherein the discounted rate energy signal received from the sensing means ( 3 ) is recorded and determines at which hours of the day the cheap energy tariff is applied generally by evaluating the discounted rate energy signal momentarily detected from the energy network stored in the memory ( 6 ) and the data received from the clock ( 2 ). 
     
     
       10. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 7 , wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that determines at which time intervals of the day the discounted rate energy is delivered by the network by evaluating the discounted rate energy signal detected by the sensing means ( 3 ) from the network and stored in the memory ( 6 ) together with the data received from the clock ( 2 ) and after the user enters the program end time (t f ), if there is not a time interval wherein discounted rate energy tariff is applied in the total time (t t ) passing until the end time (t f ), informs the user and suggests a new end time (t f ) to the user that remains within a time interval of discounted rate energy tariff application. 
     
     
       11. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claim 4 , wherein the control unit ( 4 ) that during the execution of a program, runs the program as long as the discounted rate energy signal is received from the sensing means ( 3 ), stops the running program when the detected signal changes to the expensive rate energy signal, waits for the discounted rate energy signal from the sensing means ( 3 ) in order to continue the program and runs the executed program intermittently such that it is completed before the desired end time (t f ). 
     
     
       12. The household appliance ( 1 ) as in  claims 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10  and  11  wherein the household appliance is selected from the group consisting of a washing machine, a dryer and a dishwasher.